The afternoon sun shines through the grilled windows into a side hall of the half-elf palace.
The colorful light spots formed complex and disordered patterns on the ground of the white glazed rock. These patterns attracted Javier's attention. He stared at the ground seriously, as if he wanted to study some mysterious truth from these lights and shadows.
Of course, although Javier is a legendary half-elf merchant who is well-known in Silvermoon City, he has no research on geometric principles. The reason why he stared at these light and shadow patterns was because he was too bored.
After the rebellion of the Silver Moon Guard was quelled, the half-elf merchants who set fire to the granary were of course "invited" to the palace one by one.
But they have been sitting here for a long time, and they still haven't waited for Queen Aisha or Count Angelet to summon them.
This kept all the half-elf merchants in a state of anxiety and panic.
However, with the passage of time, such emotions gradually became numb after all, and they began to calm down, thinking hard about what to do next in order to obtain Her Majesty's forgiveness.
"Cough cough, may I have some water for us?"
Finally, a half-elf businessman couldn't help but asked the guards in the palace with a hoarse voice.
But those guards who were covered in armor didn't seem to hear him at all, and ignored his request.
Just as Javier was about to speak, he saw a heroic young man striding into the hall.
"Master Earl!"
The half-elf merchants hurriedly got up and saluted.
Colin came to the main seat and sat down, then waved his hands casually to let everyone take their seats.
The young half-elf maids walked in lightly and presented red wine to everyone.
The overflowing aroma of the wine made the half-elf merchants who had been hungry for a long time couldn't help swallowing, but before Colin toasted, they dared not touch the red wine in front of them anyway.
Ke Lin's cold gaze swept across the faces of all the half-elf businessmen, perhaps because of a guilty conscience, none of the half-elf businessmen dared to meet his gaze.
"Everyone, I invite you here to ask everyone a question on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen." Colin spoke, with no emotion in his tone, "Why did you set fire to your own granary?"
This is a difficult question to answer.
There was an awkward silence in the hall.
The half-elf merchants could not wait to bury their heads in their chests, not even daring to breathe, for fear of attracting Colin's attention and being asked questions by name.
Ke Lin didn't seem to be in a hurry. He picked up the goblet in front of him and turned it gently in his hand. The dark red wine collided back and forth in the glass, forming a small vortex. The sensitive nerves of extremely fragile half-elf merchants.
Javier looked at Colin on the main seat out of the corner of his eye, and saw that the young Earl of the Empire was observing the vortex in the wine glass with great interest, with a faint smile on his handsome face, as if a gentle man An ordinary boy full of curiosity.
But he didn't dare to treat Colin as a harmless young nobleman. The Earl of the Empire was already an old acquaintance to the half-elf businessman, and he knew Colin's rise well.
That is a road to promotion paved with corpses and blood!
"Javier."
I don't know if he sensed Javier's peeping gaze, but Colin directly called out the name of the legendary half-elf businessman.
"Uncle, Lord Earl!" Javier stood up suddenly, like a naughty student who was called by the teacher in class.
Seeing this, the rest of the half-elf merchants breathed a sigh of relief.
Only Javier stood there stiffly, cold sweat gushing out like a spring, instantly wet the dress on his chest.
Colin smiled lightly and asked, "Mr. Havel, please answer Her Majesty's question."
If time could be turned back, Javier swears to the gods, he would never take a sneak peek.
But now, he can only bite the bullet and answer: "My lord, it's... because... Marquis Vincent of the Eastern Region forced us to do this..."
Colin's face didn't change at all, and he was still so gentle, but in Javier's eyes, that face was no different from that of a devil.
Before Colin continued to ask questions, Javier quickly added: "However, Lord Earl, don't worry, we have already prepared, and before burning the granary, we have secretly replaced most of the grain with hay, so, Even if the granary is burned out, most of the food is still there!
As long as you don't hold us accountable, I am willing to sell these grains to you at the lowest price! "
After Havel finished speaking, the rest of the half-elf merchants also clamored:
"Yes, Lord Earl, I also hid the food in advance!"
"Master Earl, I am too, and I am willing to sell it to you at a low price!"
"My lord, and me too..."
…
When Colin heard this, he immediately laughed.
I don't know if I am happy that there is still food in stock, or I am laughing that these half-elf merchants are really chicken thieves.
Of course, this is not unexpected. If these half-elven merchants really want to burn the food they have hoarded so hard, it will be more uncomfortable than killing them.
"Very good." Colin nodded in satisfaction, and the hall suddenly fell silent.
And all the half-elven businessmen looked at the smile on Colin's face, and the boulder in their hearts finally fell down.
But just when they were glad that they had escaped, Ke Lin suddenly withdrew his smile and said coldly: "However, your actions are in fact plotting treason and treason!"
"My lord, we were also forced..." the businessman was still crying.
"Forced?" Colin sneered, "Then why didn't you report it? Instead, you chose to follow the instructions of the rebels?"
The half-elf merchants were suddenly speechless.
Javier immediately took the initiative to say: "Master Earl, we were really in a daze and made a stupid choice. If you are willing to forgive our mistakes, I am willing to donate all the food to you for free!"
As soon as this remark came out, the rest of the half-elf merchants felt blood dripping from their hearts, but they had no choice but to respond quickly, expressing their willingness to donate food for free.
Only then did Ke Lin's expression soften, and he said lightly, "That's not enough."
Javier suppressed the pain in his heart, and asked respectfully: "Master Earl, if you have any other orders, please feel free to say so."
"Do you know the Northern Foreign Trade Company?"
"I know." Javier nodded, already understanding in his heart that Colin was planning to forcibly integrate the half-elven business world.
Sure enough, the next moment, I heard Colin say: "Her Majesty the Queen has discussed with me for a long time, and decided to set up a half-elf foreign trade company..."
Hearing this, all the half-elven merchants felt apprehensive. They knew they should come, and they came anyway.
But before they could make a statement, they saw an attendant rushing into the palace and reported: "Master Earl, Marquis Vincent has been assassinated!"
"What?" Colin stood up abruptly, and then, ignoring the half-elven merchants, he strode out immediately.
When his back disappeared outside the hall, the half-elf merchants realized that they were also inexplicably horrified.
This is a big deal!
If the first heir of the St. Pros family dies in Silvermoon City...
The half-elf merchants looked at each other and exchanged their thoughts with their eyes, but no one dared to break the oppressive silence.
For a moment, they didn't know whether to gloat or worry about the storm that was about to engulf Silvermoon City.
(end of this chapter)